I Hate Graveyards (Closed)

Salzem watched as tears began to well up in Hikari's eyes once again as she asked him not to blame himself for their deaths. She said that if they could see him, both Kouse and Cole wouldn't blame him for them dying. He doubted that Kouse wouldn't have. They had left on bad terms with Salzem knocking him out for his own safety. Salzem didn't even bother to tell him why he was doing what he was doing, leaving him to conclude that Salzem really had betrayed them all. That hurt, but not as much as watching Hikari break down in tears again in front of him. Seeing her cry, seeing her in so much pain made a certain resolve evident, a certain strength well up within him. He wasn't going to let her get hurt anymore... He wasn't going to let this linger within her by letting it rot within himself. He wouldn't make her life any more hellish than it already was by letting himself hollow into a dead-man walking. But, if he was going to help her recover, she was going to need to help him as well. Gently, he took Hikari's hand in his and pulled her down so that she was sitting beside him. Salzem wrapped his arms around her shoulders in another hug, tears still pouring down his face as he held her to him.

"Okay..." he said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "I'll stop blaming myself, stop letting this eat away at me on one condition..." He took his pointer finger and brushed away the tears that poured from her eyes and, despite everything, he offered a sweet, gentle smile who's warmth, he hoped, would spread to her as well. "You stop crying... okay? I can't stand to see you in tears..." He could see her cheeks and eyes were flushed red, pain and sorrow obvious that he had only added to with his own guilt. Salzem could only imagine his own pale face looked similar, but more worn and world-weary. Despite the sharpness of loss jabbing at his chest and the cool tears that pooled in his eyes, Salzem felt..... better? More stable? He didn't want to be alone, that was certain.

Through her blurry vision, Hikari saw a change flash through his eyes, from sullen regret to determination. He took ahold of her hand, gently pulling her down to a sitting position beside him. Then he enveloped her into another hug, his arms wrapped around her shoulders. She returned the hug, gently placing her arms around his mid back-shoulder area, and she could feel his tears as they fell, and noted he could probably feel hers as well. 

With a small squeeze of her hand, Salzem spoke up, his voice a tone happier and more resolved than before. It made her happy to hear of him ending his self blame, and she intently listened as he continued, wondering what his one condition would be. He wiped away her tears with his pointer finger, then gave her one of the warmest smiles she has seen in a while. It brought a smile to her tear streaked, flushed face, instantly lightening the rather glum mood.

"I'll only stop crying if you stop, okay Sal?" She grinned at him, knowing he would accept her one condition as well. Talking Salzem through his own self blame helped her to cope with their deaths. Seeing her friend, eyes swollen from all the tears and face more haggard than it would be usually, helped her to feel more at ease, knowing they would be watching over them from now on.

He smiled a bit wider when she Hikari offered her counter offer, asking for him to stop crying as well. With a grin, he held his closest friend close before the last of his tears fell from his cheeks. She had been holding herself up far better than Salzem had and he couldn't even begin to think he could make it through any of this without her constantly keeping him leveled. Hikari was such a gentle and caring ninja... One he quietly vowed to never abandon again for any reason, be it for the better or the worse.

"Deal." He agreed, wiping his face dry with his newly healed hands. That moment together where they helped each-other through the other's pain... It made him feel even closer to her than he already was. The last thing he wanted to do was leave, but, despite how much he hated it, life did go on. Chances were Hikari had other things she needed to do today, her ninja duties and such. Salzem was just getting back into being an official village ninja himself and duty did call. Salzem would pull himself to his feet on shaky legs before offering a hand to Hikari to help her up as well.

"Hey... listen. I got some stuff I gotta do today... Chores and such... Getting back into the old Konoha spirit; You know how it is but.... Do you think some time later, when you have time, you'd want to grab a bite to eat or something? Its been at least a year and I'd like to catch up on the time we missed out on while I was away." The lycan ninja rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. It almost sounded as if he was asking Hikari on a date, which certainly was not his intention. The very thought was embarrassing, not to mention inappropriate in the presence of the late Kouse. Salzem knew how fond the two were of each other. No, he meant to ask as a friend wanting to spend time with a friend as friends. nothing more, nothing less.

The thought of seeing Salzem how he was before he left, happy and full of life not the state he was in just moments earlier, brought a warm feeling to her heart. He grinned at her offer, and she knew they were both going to be alright from then on. With their deal made, Sal wiped away the last stray tears and stood, offering a hand to help Hikari up as well. She gladly accepted it, picking the bouquet of flowers up from the ground where she had laid them earlier as she stood, firmer than ever before. A new resolution pumped fire into her veins. She was determined to live on for her late friends, to make them proud from the afterlife, and to help her last friend, and former teacher, to be just as strong and steady.

His voice was casual and strong as he spoke, no wavering or faltering this time. He rubbed the back of his head, obviously what he was asking had made him feel awkward. However, Hikari loved the idea of reconnecting, there was so much for each of them to say that it would probably take a couple of hours to recount everything.

"I understand, I myself have some duties to attend to. Send me a message, or come find me, and we can grab lunch sometime. It'll be great to reconnect with you, Sal." Hikari flashed a smile at him, the idea of their next encounter being a date never occurred to her. It was just two friends reuniting after a long time away.

"Great!" He exclaimed, flashing a grin right back. "I'll get my work done as fast as I can and... well... I'll see you then!" With that, Salzem would make his way out of the graveyard, surprisingly feeling far better than when he entered. He had a feeling he was finally coming home.

(Exit)

As Salzem excitedly responded to her, she had enough time to say, "I'll see you then too!" Before the wolf boy hurriedly ran off to complete his tasks as quickly as possible. She waved goodbye to his fleeting form before she turned back to the graves, Kuro and her alone once more. She divided the lillies into four piles, so each grave would receive three. 

She gently placed the flowers on each of the graves, spoke endearingly to each one specifically (in case they could hear her from where they were now). Then Kuro and her departed, on to tackle the next thing on their to do list, which was probably to go train- if Hikari was feeling up to it.

(Exit)